Singapore Dependant's Pass for Indian families: the SGD 6,000 salary rule, the SGD 330 fees, the LTVP for parents and the three-week decision (2026)
An Employment Pass or S Pass holder earning at least SGD 6,000 a month can bring a spouse and unmarried children under 21 on Dependant's Passes, and common-law spouses, step-children and disabled children on Long-Term Visit Passes; parents need SGD 12,000. The employer applies on MOM's portal for SGD 105, MOM decides within about three weeks, and SGD 225 is paid on issuance per dependant. This guide covers who qualifies, certificates and translations, the timeline and why files fail.
Key facts
- Government fee: SGD 105 application + SGD 225 issuance per dependant (DP and MOM LTVP)
- Sponsor salary: SGD 6,000 fixed monthly for spouse and children; SGD 12,000 for parents
- Who: Spouse and unmarried children under 21 (DP); common-law spouse, step-children, disabled children over 21, parents (LTVP)
- Processing: About 3 weeks; usually filed with the main pass
- Validity: Tied to the sponsor's pass, up to 2 years
- Work: Own work pass or Letter of Consent needed since 1 May 2021
- Medical: LTVP holders staying over 6 months; about SGD 50 to 100
- Verified: 29 October 2026 against mom.gov.sg
Overview
A Singapore Dependant's Pass starts with the sponsor's salary: an Employment Pass or S Pass holder with a fixed monthly salary of SGD 6,000 can bring a legally married spouse and unmarried children under 21, while common-law spouses, step-children and disabled children over 21 use the Long-Term Visit Pass and parents need SGD 12,000. The employer applies on MOM's portal for SGD 105 per dependant, MOM decides within about three weeks, and SGD 225 is paid on issuance; the passes run with the sponsor's and expire with it. Dependants have needed their own work pass or a Letter of Consent to work since 1 May 2021.
The compact version with the price card and checklist is on the Singapore Dependant's Pass route page. This article explains how the salary rule is tested, which pass each relative uses and where Indian files fall down.
Who can bring family to Singapore, and on which pass?
| Family member | Pass | Sponsor salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse (legally married) | Dependant's Pass | SGD 6,000 | Marriage certificate in English or translated |
| Unmarried children under 21 | Dependant's Pass | SGD 6,000 | Including legally adopted children; birth certificates |
| Common-law spouse | Long-Term Visit Pass | SGD 6,000 | Relationship and cohabitation evidence |
| Step-children under 21; disabled children over 21 | Long-Term Visit Pass | SGD 6,000 | Birth and marriage certificates; medical report |
| Parents | Long-Term Visit Pass | SGD 12,000 | Both parents may be sponsored; medical examination |
The salary test looks at the fixed monthly salary on the sponsor's pass, so variable allowances and bonuses do not count. Employment Pass and S Pass holders qualify at the same SGD 6,000 line, which means an S Pass holder at the SGD 3,300 floor cannot sponsor anyone; Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass and Personalised Employment Pass holders follow the same rules. Spouses of Singapore citizens and permanent residents apply to ICA instead, often after a Pre-Marriage LTVP Assessment, under a route that weighs the couple's finances rather than a fixed salary.
Why do certificates and translations matter so much?
MOM accepts Indian marriage and birth certificates in English or with a notarised English translation, and checks that the names and dates match the passports. A marriage registered under the Special Marriage Act or a personal-law marriage with a registered certificate is accepted; a religious ceremony without civil registration is not, and couples married years ago without registering should do so before applying. Birth certificates must name both parents. Common-law spouses must show cohabitation: joint leases, bank accounts, photographs and a statutory declaration, and the pass is discretionary.
How much does it cost?
| Item | SGD | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dependant's Pass application | 105 | Per dependant; employer applies |
| Dependant's Pass issuance | 225 | Per dependant; on approval |
| Long-Term Visit Pass application | 105 | Common-law spouse, step-children, parents |
| Long-Term Visit Pass issuance | 225 | Plus SGD 30 multiple-journey visa where issued |
| Medical examination (LTVP over 6 months) | About 50 to 100 | HIV and TB at a Singapore clinic |
| Translations and notarisation | INR 500 to 2,000 per document | For certificates not in English |
Vistolane charges the SGD 330 per dependant at the official rupee rate and shows translation and medical costs as separate lines on the Singapore destination page. Health insurance is not mandatory for dependants but families buy it because they are outside CPF MediShield.
How does the application run?
- Check the sponsor's salary: SGD 6,000 fixed monthly on the Employment Pass or S Pass, SGD 12,000 for parents, as shown on the pass application or the latest payslips.
- Prepare the certificates: marriage certificate, children's birth certificates and passports, notarised English translations where needed, and relationship evidence for common-law spouses.
- The employer applies on myMOM Portal, either with the main pass or afterwards, pays SGD 105 per dependant and receives the decision within about three weeks.
- The In-Principle Approval is valid six months and acts as the entry visa; LTVP holders staying over six months complete a medical examination after arrival.
- The employer requests issuance (SGD 225); dependants register fingerprints and photo at the Employment Pass Services Centre and receive the card in about five working days.
How long does it take from India?
| Stage | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Documents and translations | 1 to 2 weeks |
| MOM decision | About 3 weeks; together with the main pass where filed together |
| Entry | Within 6 months of the IPA |
| Issuance and card | 1 to 2 weeks |
File dependants with the main pass so the family arrives together; the sponsor's pass must be issued before the dependants' passes can be. School places drive many dates: international schools in Singapore admit year-round but the popular ones hold waiting lists, so apply as soon as the IPA arrives.
After arrival
Dependant's Pass and LTVP holders renew with the sponsor's pass and lose status when it is cancelled. Children attend international schools or, subject to places and a fee, local schools without a Student's Pass. A dependant who finds a job applies for their own Employment Pass or S Pass, and the Dependant's Pass is cancelled when that pass is issued; a dependant who runs a registered business applies for a Letter of Consent instead.
Spouses and children can be included in the sponsor's permanent residence application under the Professionals, Technical Personnel and Skilled Workers scheme, and the Singapore PR guide explains the factors and the SGD 100 fee. Parents on an LTVP cannot be included under PTS; citizens may sponsor aged parents later. A dependant who later moves to an Employment Pass accrues their own PR history from that date.
Why are Dependant's Pass applications refused, and what fixes each reason?
Sponsor salary below SGD 6,000. The fixed monthly salary on the pass is under the line or the offer counted variable allowances. Request a fixed-salary revision from the employer or wait for a renewal at the higher salary.
Relationship not evidenced. An unregistered marriage, missing translations or a common-law relationship without cohabitation proof. Register the marriage, obtain notarised translations and compile the relationship evidence.
Sponsor's pass not issued. Dependants' passes cannot be issued before the main pass. Complete the sponsor's issuance first; the dependants' IPAs remain valid for six months.
Parents' file. The sponsor earns under SGD 12,000 or the medical examination was not completed. Meet the salary rule and complete the medical within the IPA validity.
Adverse record. A dependant's previous overstay or refused entry. Disclose and explain with documents.
How Vistolane handles it
Vistolane's partner prepares the certificates and translations, files with the employer on MOM's portal and books the card registration; the SGD 330 per dependant is charged at the official rate. Start with the free eligibility check or the Singapore Dependant's Pass route page. Families weighing other hubs can compare the UAE family visa guide, the Japan dependent visa guide and the UK spouse visa guide.
Questions, answered
What salary do I need to bring my wife to Singapore?
A fixed monthly salary of SGD 6,000 on an Employment Pass or S Pass for a spouse and unmarried children under 21, and SGD 12,000 for parents on a Long-Term Visit Pass. Allowances count only if they are fixed, so an S Pass holder at the SGD 3,300 floor cannot sponsor family.
How much does a Dependant's Pass cost?
SGD 105 on application and SGD 225 on issuance per dependant, plus SGD 30 for a multiple-journey visa where issued, paid by the employer or sponsor. Indian marriage and birth certificates need notarised English translations if not in English, and LTVP holders staying over six months pay about SGD 50 to 100 for a medical examination.
Can my spouse work on a Dependant's Pass?
Not on the pass alone since 1 May 2021. Your spouse needs an Employment Pass, S Pass or Work Permit from their own employer, or a Letter of Consent if they run a registered business as a director or sole proprietor. Children can attend school on a Dependant's Pass without a Student's Pass.
How long does a Dependant's Pass take?
MOM processes most Dependant's Pass and LTVP applications within three weeks; filing them with the main pass is common and they are decided together. The In-Principle Approval is valid six months for entry, and the sponsor's pass must be issued before the dependants' passes are.